Rein-guard.



Patented 1uly 29, |902.

J T WEST REIN GUARD. (Applikation mea July 1o, 1901.)

W/TNESSES (NoModel.)

' A Tron/v5 ys UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.'

JOHN THOMAS wEsT, or T-:owLrNe GREEN, KENTUCKY.

REIN-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 705,986, dated July29, 1902.

Application lod July 10, 190].. Serial No. 67,710. (No model.)

fo all Lu/"wmf iz'; may 0072/007177,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN THOMAS WEST, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Bowling Green, in the county of Warren and State ofKentucky, have invented a new and Improved Rein-Guard, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of the invention is to simplify the construction ofrein-guards and to provide an article which may be conveniently attachedto or detached from the harness and -which will be light and durable andwill not detract from the appearance of said harness, but will serve toeffectually guide the reins and prevent them from becoming entangledwith the tail of thehorse and from catching in parts of the harness.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of Vtheseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorrespondingv parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved rein-guard and thatportion of the harness to which the guard is applied. Fig. 2 is a planview of the parts shown in Fig. 1, illustrating a slight departure inthe manner of attaching a guard to a harness. Fig. 3 is an enlargedtransverse section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig, 2. Fig. et is atransverse section on the line 4 -L of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a Ytransversesection through a modified form of the device employed for attaching theforward ends of the rein-guard to the harness, and Fig. 6 is atransverse section taken practically on the line 6 G of Fig. 5.

A represents a portion of the back-strap of a harness, B a portion ofthe hip-strap, which is passed through a loop 10 in the back-strap, andC represents the crup per, which is shown as a continuation of theback-strap. A guide device C islocated at the division of the crupper Cor at a point near where ythe crupper connects with the back-strap. Thisguide device consists of a cross-bar l1, which is made Yof leather,rubber, or other material which will not chafe the back of the horse,since the cross-bar rests upon the animal. This cross-bar extends belowthe bifurcated portions 14 of the crupper C and beyond the outer sidefaces of the said members of the crupper, as is best shown in Figs. 1and 2. A metal plate 12 is secured by rivets or other means on the upperface of the cross-bar 1l of the said guide device C', and this plate isprovided at its ends with two guide arms or members 13 and 13, which arebent over the body portion of the plate 12 and in direction of eachother. The members 14 of the crupper are passed through the spacebetween the guide-arms 13 and 13 and the body 12 of the plate, and sidemembers l5 of the reinguard D are likewise passed through the lspacesbetween the guide-arms 13 and 13n and the body of the plate 12 at theoutside portions of the members 14 of the crupper, as is best shown inFig. 3. These side members 15 of the rein-guardD diverge in direction ofthe rear, and thesaid members may be attached to the back-strap A indifferent ways. As shown in Fig. l, the forward ends of the side members15 of the rein-guard are provided with inwardly-extending arms or lugs16, which enter the loop 10 in the backstrap.

The side members 15 of the rein-guard are connected at their rear'endsby a cross-bar 17, and the said cross-bar 17 and side bars 15, togetherwith their forward extensions 16, are preferably made from one piece ofsprin gwire of suitable gage, although a light metal bar may be used forthe purpose.

A rein-support ISHS-located at the cross-bar 17, and usually thisrein-support is in the form of a downwardly-extending yoke pivotallyattached tomthe rearV cross-bar 17. The rein-guard'D is ofsufficientlength to extend beyond the rear end of the crupper C, or so that therein-support 18 will be beyond 'the rear end of the crupper or at apoint above the crupper. It will be understood that the driving-reinsare passed through the yoke 18.

In Fig. 2 I have illustrated another means of attaching the forward endsof the reinguard to the back-strap or that portion of the crupper whichconnects with the' back-strap. This connection consists of a plate 20,which is passed transversely beneath the back-strap or forward portionof the crupper, and the said plate, as Shown in Fig. 4, is provided withtwo inwardly-extending guide-arms 21 IOC) and 22 at its end portions,the guide-arms exf tending over the upper face of the cross-bar or plate20. The members 14: of the crupper pass through the spaces between theguidearms 21 and 22 and the body of the plate, and theside members ofthe rein-guard D likewise pass through the said spaces, as is shown inFigs: 2 and 4. NVhen the attaching deviceY shown 1n Figs. 2 and 4 isemployed, outward.V

extensions 19 are provided at the forward ends ofthe side members oftherein-guard.

Another means of attaching the rein-guard 'to the harness is that shewnin Figs. 5 and 6, 1n which a plate 2O is also employed and upperguide-arms 21 and 22; but these guidearms are made to meet under and ata central point of lower plate, see-cut, and the device 1s protected orreinforced at its center by a sleeve 23, and when used a leather strapis buckled around the cross-bar.

The rein-guard, if preferred, may have its forward or front ends toextend only to the cross-bar, and said yfront ends may link or hinge toouter ends of cross-bar or they may be only hooked or attached to thecrupper, as may be preferred. The side arms of the guard may have ametal brace or braces to extend from 15 to 15, which numerals appear inFig. 5, although the braces are not shown in the drawings.

I desire it to be understood that the reinguard D may terminate at thecross-bar 11 and may be secured at that point in any approved manner.

5'Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination with a divided crupperstrapand a crupper,of a rein-guide frame confined at its front end and havingat its rear end a drop member which depends below the v longitudinalplane of said frame, and a transdisplacement relativegto the parts bytheside members of the crupper and bythe end portions of said loop.

3. The combination with a divided crupperstrap and a cru pper,of arein-guide frame having side bars extending forwardly from a rearmember, and a coniining-loop slidably tted to the side members oftheicrupper and to the side bars of said frame, said loop engaging Withthe crupper in rear of the division in the crupper-strap, and the sidebars of the frame being held against displacement by the end portions ofthe loop and the side members of the crupper.

4. The combination with a crupper and a divided crupper-strap, of twoloops disposed one in rear of the other and both engaging with themembers of the crupper in rear of the division in the crupper-strap, anda reinguide frame having side bars confined by and engaged with both ofsaid loops, said side bars being provided with projections which engagethe front loop and restrain said frame from rearward endwise movement.

5. The combination with a divided cru pperstrap and a crupper, of aconfining-loop engaging with said crupper-strap,a rein-guide framehaving its side bars tted between the members of the crupper-strap andthe ends of the loop, and provided with projections arranged to n'tagainst the loop and to restrain the frame from rearward endwisemovement, and means engaging with the crupper and with the 'frame at apoint intermediate of the length of the latter to support said frame inrear of said loop.

6. The combination with a crupper, of a confining-loop having its endportions doubled upon itself and forming keepers arranged to looselyreceive the said members of the erupper, and a rein-guide frame havingside bars extending forwardly from a rear member and iitted looselywithin said confining-loop, said side bars being held from displacementby engaging with the members of the crupper and with the end portions ofthe loop.

In testimony whereof I have signed my .name to this speciticationinthepresence ot' two subscribing witnesses.

` JOHN THOMAS WEST.

Witnesses:

C. WILBER, R. N. GILLESPIE.

IOC

